Home Exchanges With Children

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When you go into a home exchange, your thoughts are usually focused on the excitement of living in a new place for a while. At the same time, there is always some level of concern about other people living in your home, particularly if the people you’re exchanging with have children. When doing a home exchange with a family with little kids, keep these tips in mind so that you don’t have to worry about what your home will look like when you return.

Don’t Display, Pack It Away
You really don’t have to keep all those fragile little trinkets out in the living room. Instead, put any delicate decorations on a high closet shelf till you return, or put them inside a lift top coffee table and request that the lid stay down. You’ll be able to get everything set up once you get back, and your home will remain intact.

Lay Down Some Ground Rules
No shoes on the sofa, no eating in the bedroom, no ball throwing indoors. If you’re worried that making such requests is rude or presumptuous, don’t be. You have the right to set up some guidelines for what goes on in your home when you’re not there, and the parents you are swapping homes with will be grateful that you are being upfront about your expectations.

Close With Cleaning
No matter how well-behaved these kids might be, mess is simply a reality of life with children. In order to make sure that you don’t come home to a major cleaning fest, suggest that each of you have the house professionally cleaned at the end of the exchange. This way you can expect a clean home without anyone being insulted.

Even with the best laid plans and the most watchful parents, things can still go wrong, so expect to see some signs of wear and tear. If you’re still anxious about the idea of a boisterous bunch moving into your home, then maybe swapping with a large family isn’t right for you. There are plenty of couples without children who would be happy to exchange homes with you, and that might make for a more worry-free vacation.

Linda Harris writes about family-friendly furniture and home decor at Timber and Textiles.

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